19 killed, many still trapped in Delhi, Chennai buildings collapse

Rescuers search for survivors in the debris of under construction building which collapsed in Porur near Chennai. (PTI photo)

Rescuers using gas cutters and shovels were searching in construction rubble on Sunday for more than 20 workers feared trapped in the second of two building collapses in India that together have killed at least 19 people.

The 12-story apartment structure the workers were building collapsed late Saturday while heavy rains and lightning were pounding the outskirts of Chennai. Police said 26 construction workers had been pulled out so far and the search was continuing for more than a dozen others.

Four of the workers died on the spot and another four succumbed to injuries later in a hospital, said police officer George Fernandes. Twelve injured workers have been hospitalized, while six others were allowed to go home after medical attention on Saturday night, Fernandes said.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the collapse. Two persons have been arrested in connection with the building collapse.

Soil testing is being done to check if the building would hold and if all legalities were followed regarding clearances etc. NDRF, state rescue forces, police, fire brigade personnel are on the spot.

Nearly 300 policemen and fire service workers worked overnight, looking for survivors in the debris. They used gas cutters, iron rods and shovels to reach those trapped in the rubble.

The New Delhi collapse was triggered by construction work on an adjacent plot, according to PTI reports.

Building collapses are common in India, where high demand for housing and lax regulations have encouraged some builders to cut corners, use substandard materials or add unauthorized extra floors.

In April last year, 74 people were killed when an eight-story building being constructed illegally in the Mumbai suburb of Thane in western Maharashtra state caved in. It was the worst building collapse in the country in decades.